Do I Need to Service My Taps?

Did you know that dripping taps are the number one cause of water wastage and that a dripping tap alone can waste 24,000 litres of water per year? If the steady dripping sound of a tap leaking isn't enough to keep you awake at night… think of the hole it is chewing in your wallet! If you are experiencing this, it is wise to have your taps serviced or replaced as soon as possible because this indicates that your fixtures are becoming old and the leak could become far worse over a short period of time. If your solution is just to turn off the tap even more tightly, you may want to think again as you are just damaging the tap further by over-tightening it.

What causes taps to leak?

Generally speaking, taps with washers are the most likely to leak when compared to ceramic disc taps or mixer taps. This is because the washer acts as a seal to barricade the flow of water and over time, the washer will become worn as it is continually being pushed to stop this flow of water. A plumber can determine if it will be more economically viable to just replace the entire tap instead of trying to repair an old tap that will just break down again.

Ceramic disc taps will generally take longer than washer taps to being leaking, but eventually, they too will leak. The disc will actually wear down after use and become corroded, needing to be replaced — this is simply accomplished by removing the old ceramic discs and installing new ones in their place.

A mix tap will generally leak due to its cartridge, this is found at the base of the tap, above the bench-top, a plumber will usually replace the entire cartridge if this is the cause of the leak. Sometimes this is not the case as cartridges are quite expensive, if this is not viable a plumber may just recommend replacing the whole tap as it may be more cost-efficient for the long-term.

Always let your plumber know if you have a specific look in mind when it comes to replacing taps, whether it be getting the same one you had or a whole new look. Don’t be shy when it comes to this as our plumbers always prefer you to tell them exactly what you want to save you being unhappy with the tap that ends up being ordered.